Kezia: Every Scottish seat now in Labour's sights

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said the party had run the SNP so close it could win any seat in the next election.

A delighted Kezia Dugdale celebrates with the six new Scottish Labour MPs, from left, Ged Killen, Danielle Rowley, Martin Whitfield, Hugh Gaffney , Lesley Laird and Paul Sweeney, at Rutherglen Town Hall today. Picture: John Devlin

Ms Dugdale also hailed its six new MPs for providing nearly one quarter of the resurgent party’s gains at Westminster.

She described the increase from one seat in 2015, and coming within 100 votes of the Nationalists in other seats, as a “fantastic result”.

She said: “Every single seat is a contender next time round.”

Ms Dugdale said her priority was for the SNP to shelve a second independence referendum.

She also said Theresa May was making a “grave mistake” in staying on as Prime Minister.

She called on Mrs May to resign to give Labour an opportunity to form a minority government.

Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister was “still a possibility”.

However, Ms Dugdale ruled out any deal with the SNP or other parties.

She said: “There will not be a progressive alliance.”

She said she was “thrilled” for the six new MPs, who will join sole incumbent Ian Murray, who increased Labour’s vote in Edinburgh South by nearly 16 per cent.

New Glasgow North East MP Paul Sweeney achieved Labour’s second biggest swing north of the Border, recapturing what was once Westminster’s safest seat from the SNP with a 9.2 per cent increase in its vote, albeit with a majority of just 242.

In the other gains from the Nationalists, Hugh Gaffney won Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill with an 8.7 per cent vote increase and an 1,586 majority.

Ged Killen took Rutherglen and Hamilton West with a 265 majority and 2.3 per cent increase in the vote.

In the east, Danielle Rowley, 27, became the party’s youngest Scottish MP, winning Midlothian with an 885 majority and 6.2 per cent vote increase.

Martin Whitfield took East Lothian with a 5.1 per cent increase and 3,083 majority.

Lesley Laird won Gordon Brown’s old seat of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath with a 259 majority and 3.5 per cent increase.

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